Celebrating 130 years with a bright future ahead - McDonell Area ...

McDonell Area 

Catholic Schools 

www.macs.k12.wi.us 

Mack 

Messenger 

McDonell Central Catholic High 

9-12 

Notre Dame Middle 

6-8 

Holy Ghost Elementary 

3-5 

St. Charles Borromeo Primary 

Childcare, 3Pre, BB4C and K-2 Summer 2012 

Dear Alumni and Friends of 

McDonell, 

McDonell Area Catholic 

Schools is excited about 

the future. Through 

many long, hard months 

of looking within, at the 

needs of our community 

and confirming the 

commitment to our 

student’s educational 

growth and spiritual 

formation, we are rolling 

up our sleeves and moving 

forward with commitment, 

faith and vision as our 

forefathers did over 130 years ago. 

To reflect the future that lies ahead, we have updated 

our mission and vision for the schools along with adding 

core values and expectations for our students, staff, and 

parents. This document will serve as a guide as we move 

forward. 

I would like to thank the Education Commission, our 

Chippewa Falls Dean, the Very Rev. Ed Shuttleworth, 

QUALITY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL 

EDUCATION SINCE 1882 


News For McDonell Alumni, McDonell Area Catholic Schools and Friends 

Celebrating 130 years with a bright future ahead 

Br. Roger Betzold, 

MACS President 

area Priests Rev. Mark Pierce and Rev. Victor Inbaraj and 

MACS staff members who participated in this update 

that I share with you. 

McDonell Area Catholic Schools - 

Education for Life 

OUR MISSION 

Committed to the formation of community, academic 

excellence and the spiritual and physical well-being of 

each student in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 

OUR VISION 

We are the school of choice for an excellent Catholic 

faith based education within the Chippewa Falls area. 

We welcome all families to be a part of our school 

community no matter their faith or financial means. In 

partnership with our parents, we form the whole child in 

support of our values and mission. 

Our vision of the whole child consists of a lifelong 

learner, who upon graduation, is academically prepared 

for post-secondary education and career, grounded in 

relationship with Jesus Christ, balanced physically and 

emotionally, and actively engages as servant leaders in 

family, parish, and civic communities. 

Our Core Values 

Faith 

Honor 

Academic Excellence 

Healthy Living 

Community 

Servant Leadership 

CORE VALUES DEFINED 

Faith – “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, 

the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have 

sent.” (John 17:3) 

· I live my life in relationship with Jesus Christ, alive for 

us in his Church. 

· Strive to know and love God with all my heart, mind, 

soul and strength 

· Maintain a living personal relationship with Christ 

through prayer and the Sacraments 

· Seek to discern the Father’s will for me, especially in 

terms of my vocation in life 

Sending the McDonell Central Catholic High School Class of 2012 on their way 

By: Allison Greenseth ‘09 

On Thursday, May 31st, 2012, 38 young men and 

ladies processed through McDonell Central Catholic 

High School gymnasium serenaded by the High 

School and Middle School band members playing 

Pomp and Circumstance. Once again the whole 

ceremony was streamed live from the front page of 

the MACS website so family and friends who were 

unable to make the ceremony in person were able to 

watch these students walk across the stage with their 

diplomas and enter the next stage of their lives. 

McDonell Principal and MACS President Brother 

Roger started the speeches after the opening prayer 

from McDonell Chaplain Fr. Justin Kizewski. He 

informed everyone of where the Class of 2012 will 

be attending colleges next year. He also gave the 

statistics on how many and how much in scholarships 

were received. You can find these statistics in the 

bottom right corner of page 10. 

The next speech was given by the Valedictorian 

Ann Kuehl and Salutatorian Hayley Bresina. Taking 

turns saying every other line of the poem describing 

their class experiences starting in Kindergarten 

including: SKYLAB at St. Charles, the loss of Mrs. 

Roesler, tacos, and “If you play before I say I’ll take 

Faculty member Renee (Ruf) ‘84 David, center, gives 

advice to the three juniors Josh Watton, John Polus 

and Pierce Lannue on broadcasting the graduation. 

Continue CELEBRATING on page 3 

away!” at Holy Ghost, the Canada project at Notre 

Dame, being moved to McDonell in eighth grade, 

being shoved in the basement and behind glass 

doors. Finally, in high school they found black classes, 

foreign language and Tilden students. Fr. Kizewski 

blew them all away with his Disney singing and wit 

that brightened their days. From big heads and face 

paint at games to catch phrases like ‘hashtag’, ‘movin’ 

like Bernie’, ‘YOLO’, and ‘swag’ school was never dull 

for this class. 

Valedictorian, Ann Kuehl and Salutatorian, Hayley 

Bresina offered this advice to their fellow classmates: 

“Whether you become a cab driver or a surgeon, 

whichever profession you choose, be a good one. Stay 

true to yourself doing something you genuinely love. 

Try your best each day in your work, exalting our God 

above. Do not be afraid to make a few mistakes along 

the way, so long as you learn from them and try again 

the next day. As you gain success in life, and 

Continue GRADS on page 7

2 McDonell Fine Arts 

The McDonell 2012-13 

Musical is “Annie” 

Performances January 25-27, 2013 

“The popular comic strip heroine takes centerstage in one of the 

world’s best-loved musicals. 

ANNIE is a spunky Depression-era orphan determined to find her 

parents, who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New 

York City Orphanage run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. 

In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan’s 

evil machinations, befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt 

and finds a new family and home in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his 

personal secretary Grace Farrell and a lovable mutt named Sandy.” 

Some of the memorable songs include “Tomorrow,” “Easy Street,” 

and “It’s a Hard Knock Life” 

Besides many great parts for McDonell high school students-both 

men and women, Mrs. Sue Decker will be auditioning Notre 

Dame middle school students--boys and girls, and elementary Holy 

Ghost girls! We might also need some assistance from adult males. 

Auditions will tentatively be November 5th with call backs 

November 6th and first rehearsal November 8th. So get your voices 

tuned and your dancing shoes ready! 

New Stage Lighting System 

We have a tremendous “Wish List” plea for a new stage lighting 

system to replace our original anitiquated one, which is entirely 

run in the wings behind the curtains. The auditorium lighting is 

used continually for music, academic classes, Masses and forums, 

as well as our musical productions. Please help us in our quest to 

get a new lighting system. Call 715.723.0538. 

Cloverbelt Conference Band and Choir 

Students chosen to represent McDonell at the All-Conference 

Cloverbelt Band and Choir Festival were for band: Connor 

MacNicol, Mike Alberts, Ariel Calo, Rose Buchmann and Kaylee 

Howard. Choir participants were Clare Schoch, Abigail Wild, 

Kendra Miller, Alainia MacNicol and Jacob Eslinger. Thank you to 

the students and the parents for your dedication to the success of 

the music program! 

The Mack Messenger is published three times a year by the McDonell 

Area Catholic Schools. Any comments or questions should be directed 

to: McDonell Area Catholic Schools, Advancement Office, 1316 Bel 

Air Boulevard, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 TEL: 715.723.0538 

EML: MackMessenger@macs.k12.wi.us 

Very Rev. Ed Shuttleworth, Dean of the Chippewa Falls Deanery 

Jenny Schafer, Dir. of Advancement 

Chuck Frenette, Advancement Advisor 

Cathy Greenseth, Dir. Public Relations, Graphic Design, Photography 

Special thank you to Allison Greenseth ‘09, Graphic Design and 

Lisa Tenold, Photography 

MC DONELL FORENSICS 

When a group of students board a bus 

headed for Madison for the State Forensics 

competition, the results are always uncertain 

and unpredictable. This year was no exception to 

that statement. The coach Mrs. Jean Wacker was 

nervous while the 15 students participating were 

relaxed and confident. 

Abi Wild and Ann Kuehl act out their 

piece “Protest Camp” on Fine Arts Night 

Fine Arts Award Night 

Congratulations to the students on their 

outstanding performances by the bands, choirs 

and forensics teams. Many fine art pieces were 

displayed in the commons for the attendees’ 

enjoyment as well. 

During the night, recognition was announced 

in all areas of the fine arts program including the 

participants in the Beauty and the Beast musical. 

Awards and scholarships were given in the 

following catagories: 

John Philip Sousa Band Award 

Sheldon Sarauer 

Show Choir Award Ann Kuehl 

Louis Armstrong Jazz Award 

Thomas Coughlin 

Patrick Michael Kelly Forensics Award 

and Scholarship Ann Kuehl 

National School Choral Award 

Kendra Miller 

The results were as follows: 

Play Acting: 

“Why the World Needs Unicorns” — Gold Medal 

Sonny Amesle, Paul Buchmann, Hannah Milkert 

“Protest Camp” —Gold Medal 

Ann Kuehl, Abi Wild, Tricia Heidtke, Jordyn Kopp 

“Facebook Addiction” — Gold Medal 

Jeanne Kuehl, Ariel Calo 

“Elevator Games”—Bronze Medal 

Collin Meinen, Jerry Anders, John Polus 

Individual Categories: 

Farrago: 

Silver—Shannon Globensky 

Prose: 

Silver—Shelly Sarauer 

Bronze—Ambe Matthews 

Also participating in Forensics this year, 

though not at the state competition, were Rose 

Buchmann, Christi Bohl, Sami Sarauer, and Matt 

Lor. Mrs. Nehring served as a judge at all levels of 

competition. 

Fine Arts Award 

Paul Buchmann and Sheldon Sarauer 

Art Dept Studio Camp Scholarship to Green 

Bay - 

Sophomores Emily Finnesy and Sami Sarauer 

Show Choir performed to the music from the 

Disney movie Mulan.

Faculty members retire after a combined 45 years 

Mr. Ron Keefer, McDonell Faculty 15 years 

Celebrating continued from page 1 

· Receive spiritual nourishment by regular 

participation in the Holy Eucharist 

· Listen to God’s Word present in creation, Scripture, 

and the living Tradition of the Church 

· Integrate my Catholic Faith into all my relationships 

and activities 

Honor – “My Father will honor the one who serves me.” 

(John 12:26) 

· I am honorable. I treat others with respect. I care 

about doing the right thing. I am civil. My actions 

reflect respect. My conversations are without 

malice or envy. 

· Am guided in all things by Christ, the Way, 

the Truth, and the Life 

· Practice the virtue of justice in my relationships 

with others 

· Can be trusted to keep my promises 

· Avoid doing things that make me feel ashamed 

· Demonstrate manners in everyday actions 

· Know there may be disagreements but resolve 

them respectfully 

· Use my freedom to do what is true, good, 

and beautiful 

Academic Excellence – “Whatever is true, whatever is 

honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever 

is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, 

if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these 

things.” (Philippians 4:8) 

· I give my best to the work I do for the glory of God. 

The McDonell Area Catholic School 

(MACS) would like to thank Mr. Ron 

Keefer and Ms. Mary Jo Sprunk for their 

dedication to Catholic school education 

and the MACS system. 

Mr. Keefer taught grade 8 Science 

and high school Sciences including 

Advanced Placement (AP) Biology 

in his 15 years at McDonell High. 

His desire to conserve energy and use 

alternative fuel while encouraging the 

staff to do the same will always be 

remembered. 

Ms. Mary Jo, as her Kindergarteners 

lovingly called her, taught for 30 years. 

Many five year-olds walked into her 

room for Kindergarten Roundup a little 

reserved and sad, but went away with a 

big smile and hopes to come back again 

the very next day. 

I give my best to others for the love of God. I set 

high goals and expectations. I choose excellence 

in learning. 

· Seek the Truth in all things 

· Practice the virtue of fortitude in pursuing 

what is good 

· Strive to surpass good and attain excellence 

· Have high expectations and standards 

· Make school work personal and meaningful 

· Set vigorous goals and challenges and develop 

the support to meet them 

Healthy Living – “Do you not know that your body is 

a temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was 

given to you by God? You are not your own.” 

(I Corinthians 6:19) 

As a temple of the Holy Spirit I live a healthy life. I am 

physically, socially and emotionally healthy. 

· Practice the virtues of temperance and chastity 

· Eat well 

· Exercise regularly 

· Get sufficient rest 

· Exercise my brain 

· Focus on things I can change 

Community – “For just as the body is one and has many 

members, and all the members of the body, though 

many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” (I Corinthians 

12:12) 

McDonell Area Catholic School News 3 

Ms. Mary Jo, St. Charles Borromeo Primary Kindergarten teacher for 30 

years. Above: Mary Jo tests her student on his ablility to count to not 

only 10 but 100! 

I am aware of the world that surrounds me and 

recognize that I must contribute to make it a better 

place to exist. I am compassionate. I notice and act 

when people are hurt or need my help. I take the time 

to show that I care. 

· Practice good stewardship with the gifts God has 

given me 

· Am actively involved with parish community 

· Show empathy and share in others’ pain and joy 

· Forgive others when they make mistakes 

· Reach out to others through conversations and 

activities 

· Am interested in and accepting of other cultures 

· Am helpful to all creatures of God 

Servant Leadership – “The Son of Man has come not to 

be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom 

for the many.” (Matthew 20:28) 

I am a person of service after the example of Jesus, who 

gave himself that we might have life. I do my part to 

make a better world. I am a leader. I am responsible. I 

lead to serve others. 

· Listen to understand before talking 

· Look for opportunities to be of service to others 

and am committed to the growth of people 

· Work with enthusiasm and to the best of my ability 

· Admit mistakes without making excuses 

· Am ready and willing to clear up 

misunderstandings

4 McDonell News 

Badger Boys and Girls State 

Above: Jerry Anders 

Below: John Polus 

UW-EC 

Math Meet 

Left: Members of the team who attended the 

UWEC math meet and winners of their very 

own graphing calculators were Gabby Geissler, 

Liz Rubenzer, Jerry Anders, Rose Buchmann, 

Abby Wild, Jordyn Kopp, Ann Kuehl, Chris 

Suilmann, Collin Meinen, Sonny Amelse, John 

Polus and Paul Buchmann. Coaching the two 

teams were Mr. Reiter and Mrs. Rubenzer. 

Stanley-Boyd 

Math Meet 

The Varsity Team of John Polus, Paul 

Buchmann, Hayley Bresina, Abigail Wild, Ann 

Kuehl, Jordyn Kopp, and Yilin Zeng placed 

third. Yilin and Paul placed second and third 

respectively in the individual competition. 

The JV team consisted of Tyler Baier, Bailey 

Eckert, Stephen Sykora, Emily Stoffel, Tessa 

McChesney, Jake Horan, Bekah Heidke and 

Jeanne Kuehl. Tyler Baier finished in ninth 

place in the individual competition. 

Congratulations to the junior boys selected to represent McDonell Central 

Catholic in Ripon, WI this past June. They are Jerry Anders and John Polus 

with Mason Richlen as an alternate. Badger Boys State is a program for 

individuals who are well adjusted and good 

students who display qualities of leadership in 

their school. 

Congratulations to the junior girls selected to 

represent McDonell Central Catholic at the Badger 

Girls State at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 

this past June. They were Gabby Geissler and 

Abigail Wild. 

Badger Girls State is designed for students 

interested in the study of government and 

citizenship. Boys and girls are selected by high 

school staff based on qualities of scholarship 

and leadership. 

Local American Legion Posts serve as the 

clearing center for sponsoring delegates to 

these events. 

Above: Gabby Geissler 

Below: Abigail Wild 

Congratulations to Junior John Polus in the 

Mathematics Meet held at UWEC for an individual 

fifth place finish. 

Great job 

Math teams! 

Bi-Annual Baby Boomers 

Reunion offers Scholarships 

Left to Right: Dick Willi , Collin Meinen, Sheldon 

Sarauer, Hayley Bresina and Jerry Cherrier ‘71. 

The bi-annual event of the Baby Boomers at the 

Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds brings together 

the McDonell Central Catholic High School and 

Chippewa Falls High School alumni which graduated 

in the 50s, 60s and 70s. This successful event benefits 

the graduating seniors at both high schools in 

the form of scholarships. This year representatives 

awarded Collin Meinen, Sheldon Sarauer and 

Hayley Bresina with a $1000 scholarship each. 

Congratulations!

CORRECTION 

In the Steve Roesler track 

coach retirement article in 

the Winter/Spring 2012 issue 

of the Mack Messenger, the 

boys track team in 1985 was 

not the first team to win a 

boys state championship 

for McDonell. That honor 

belongs to Boys Cross 

Country in 1984 coached by 

Pete Donndelinger. 

McDonell Central Catholic 

High School Athletic Awards 

The Father Mac award is 

presented to the outstanding 

male and female senior athletes. 

The award is based on grade 

point average, number of years 

of participation in athletics at 

McDonell, and number of varsity 

letters earned. Receiving this 

award is Kyle Cody and 

Sarah Schoch. 

The Norm Rubenzer Courage and Desire Award is given based on 

nominations submitted by coaches. Coaches nominate senior athletes who 

display the characteristics of courage and desire, as well as sportsmanship, 

teamwork, leadership and a good work ethic. Receiving this award above, left to 

right is Tyler Erickson, Cassie Ortmann and Ryan Baier. 

McDonell state 

track 2012 

New head coach of track and field Amber 

Schwartz comes with a lot of experience as 

a sprinter and long jumper. She graduated 

in 2003 from Weyerhaeuser High School 

where she holds the 100m and 200m dash 

school records. Amber went on to run at 

UW-Oshkosh for one year and then UWEC 

the following years. She graduated with 

a degree in Nursing and Spanish and is 

currently a Registered Nurse at Mayo Clinic 

Health System in Eau Claire where she works 

on the heart floor in the hospital. 

Amber Schwartz and her assistant coaches 

brought a few returning and new team 

members to WIAA State competition in 

La Crosse. Individual events Senior Hayley 

Bresina once again made the trip competing 

in two field events placing fourth in the 

Long Jump and sixth in the Triple Jump. 

Congratulations Hayley! 

Sophomore Nick Zander also was very 

successful with a second place in the one 

mile and fifth place in the two mile run. 

You ROCK Nick! 

The 4x800 relay consisting of Senior Michael Ruf, Sophomores Grant Pulver and 

Nick Zander and Freshman Sam Bleskachek (alternates were Junior John Polus and 

Freshman Zach Ruf) took 5th place. Congratulations! 

Come watch these young athletes compete this fall in MACKS Cross Country 

under the guidance of head coach Marty Bushland. 

9TH ANNUAL 

FALL FROLIC RUN 

McDonell Sports News 5 

Back row: Senior Michael Ruf, Junior John Polus, 

Freshman Sam Bleskachek Front row: Freshman Zach 

Ruf, Sophomores Grant Pulver and Nick Zander pose 

with their 5th place medals. Below: Nick Zander is 

congratulated by long distance coach for track and 

field Marty Bushland. Hayley Bresina awaiting her 

medal. 

Cloverbelt Scholar Athletes 

Congratulations to Ryan Baier and Hayley Bresina who were honored as 

Cloverbelt Scholar Athletes at a Cloverbelt banquet held in Stanley-Boyd. 

Saturday, 

September 22 

(Rain or Shine) 

10:30 a.m. 

McDonell Cross Country team is hosting to the public a 5k (3.1 miles) Fall Frolic 

Run/Walk once again this year. 

The event starts and ends on Flag Hill in Irvine Park. Advance registration is $10 

due September 15th and $15 day of the race. 

More information call Marty Bushland 715.723.5525. 

Registration and packet pickup starts at 9 a.m. and closes at 10:15 a.m. 

Post race picnic and awards given.

6 McDonell News Class of 2012 top students and their 

most influential teachers recognized at 

Excellence in Education Banquet 

Hayley Bresina with right, her most influential teacher Alice 

Butler with her father left, Bill Bresina and wife Heidi. 

Jordyn Kopp with right, her most influential teacher Steve Roesler 

left her mother Sandy Kopp, Step-mother Sue and father 

Kevin Kopp ‘79. 

Ann Kuehl with right, her most influential teacher Fr. Justin Kizewski 

left her father and mother Jerry and Dr. Mary Kuehl. 

Collin Meinen with right, his most influential teacher Jean Wacker 

left his father and mother Dave and Diane Meinen. 

On Wednesday, May 2nd the 27th Annual 

Excellence in Education Banquet was held at 

Avalon in Chippewa Falls with both students 

from McDonell and Chippewa Falls High 

School present, their parents and most 

influential teachers. After dinner the guest 

speaker for the night, Mr. Tom Huffcutt ‘81, 

spoke to the group on career success. We 

would like to share excerpts from his speech 

with you below. We also would like to thank 

the businesses, school administrators, and 

the Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce 

who each hosted and sponsored a table to 

make this fabulous night a reality. 

The Key to Career Success 

By: Tom Huffcutt Class of 1981 

Pick a career you like. Isn’t that perfectly 

obvious? It might be. But here’s the harder 

question. How do you know what you 

will like? I’m sure you’ve all taken aptitude 

tests by now, met with career counselors, 

and discussed your career aspirations with 

friends and relatives. And you probably have 

a college major picked by now, or at the very 

least you have a good idea of what you want 

to study. So you have given it some thought. 

But you’ve never actually done the job that’s 

at the end of your program of study. So how 

do you really know?? 

So pick a career that you like. But here’s 

the companion point – you may not know 

what that is yet! Give yourself permission to 

explore! Take different classes, seek different 

job opportunities, talk to your professors. 

MACK BITS 

You’ll learn a lot about yourself. And maybe 

you’ll find that the career you always 

imagined yourself doing, is the right one for 

you. But perhaps like me, you will find that 

you need to make some changes. Be openminded! 

Finally, I do need to add one more 

thing. Understand your career prospects. 

I’ve preached about picking a career that 

you like. But if you like Art History, or 

Anthropology, or Philosophy, your career 

prospects are going to be a lot different than 

if you like Engineering, Nursing, or Teaching. 

That’s just a fact. There will be more jobs, 

and pay will be higher, in fields where there’s 

a strong job market. You need to know this. 

However, you can be good at a subject with 

few job prospects, and still parlay that into 

a career. In my case, I found I was a very 

good Psychology student. I never became a 

Psychologist of course, but I was able to use 

what I learned -- a basic understanding of 

human motivation --in my managerial career. 

Again, be open-minded and flexible. 

You need to put in your time, be 

persistent, overcome disappointment, etc. 

But fundamentally, you need to pick a career 

that you like. And you need to give yourself 

permission to explore your options, to 

ensure that the career you choose is in fact 

a good fit for you. If you pick wisely, you will 

be a success, and what’s more, you’ll never 

work a day in your life…… 

Cloverbelt Scholars 

Congratulations to Class of 2012 Ann Kuehl and Collin Meinen. They were chosen as 

Cloverbelt Scholars from McDonell High School. Ann and Collin attended a scholar 

banquet held at Fall Creek School last Spring. 

Math Meet 

Congratulations to Junior John Polus in the Mathematics Meet held at UWEC on 

February 18th for a 5th place finish. The other members of the team were Gabby 

Geissler, Liz Rubenzer, Jerry Anders, Rose Buchmann, Abi Wild, Jordyn Kopp, Ann Kuehl, 

Chris Suilmann, Collin Meinen, Sonny Amelse and Paul Buchmann. 

Chippewa Valley Youth Symphony 

Congratulations to incoming grade 7 Sam Zwickel, Freshman Josh Leibrandt and Senior 

Cassie Schwetz who will be representing McDonell Area Catholic Schools in the 2012- 

13 school year with the Chippewa Valley Youth Symphony.

McDonell successful graduating class of 2012 

GRADS continued from page 1 

have your own sons and daughters, Be proud 

of your roots, of McDonell, of your alma mater.” 

They closed their speech with a thank you to their 

parents “who could not have picked a better school. 

Where teachers unconditionally care about students 

beyond expectation, to ensure we are well prepared 

for any university in the nation. For all the extra hours 

kindly put in and much needed study sessions, you’ve 

taught us good character and responsibility beyond 

your planned lessons.” and offered a standing ovation 

for preparing them for their high school graduation. You 

can read the full speech on page 9. 

The Bishops award was then presented to the 

valedictorian Ann Kuehl. She opened with Psalm 136:26 

“Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love 

endures forever.” She thanked God for the gifts and 

opportunities she was given including solid foundations 

in education and faith. Ann ended with “Plan for life… 

Live for eternity – an eternity of love from God. Give 

thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love 

endures forever.” 

The class of 2012 

asked the McDonell 

Freshman, 

Junior and AP 

English teacher 

and Forensics 

advisor Mrs. 

Wacker to give the 

commencement 

speech. She started 

with her memories 

of the class without 

giving out specific 

names. Though 

Mrs. Wacker, Commencement 

Speaker, addresses the graduation 

class of 2012. 

honored, she 

admitted 

she was 

apprehensive 

a b o u t 

what to say to the students. She found 

online suggestions as to what to talk about. 

Suggestion 1: Talk about their future. Mrs. Wacker 

stated, “You have one.” The Boy Scouts motto is 

“Be Prepared”, but prepared for what? Mrs. Wacker 

mentioned the flying monkeys in the Wizard of Oz. How 

could anyone possibly be prepared for flying monkeys? 

“There will be flying monkeys in your future—things 

for which you could never prepare. But remember, 

Dorothy’s friends saved her.” 

Suggestion 2: Talk about their successes. “If I stood 

here and spoke of all the accomplishments that you 

have had as a class, or as a team, or as an individual I 

would be here a very long time… The most important 

successes are the kind that you don’t win awards for. The 

success of being faithful and faith-filled, the success of 

being kind, of being thoughtful, of being honorable.” 

She challenged the graduates to go to Goodwill, in 

the way back where the stuff is that nobody wants and 

buy the trophies and plaques and hang them on your 

walls so people will take one look and think “boy this is 

a successful person”. You may have never been involved 

with the sport the trophy is for, but you will be known for 

the success that you are! 

Suggestion 3: Talk about your own graduation and 

its impact on your life. “That was 45 years ago this week. 

What do I remember? We were all there…We had a 

guest speaker. I don’t remember what he spoke about – 

probably our future and our successes.” Mrs. Wacker says 

that there are two sources that never disappoint me, one 

being Shakespeare. She quoted Hamlet when Polonius 

was giving his son, Larates, last minute advice before he 

went away to college. “This above all, to thine own self be 

true, and it must follow as the night the day, Thou canst 

not then be false to any man.” She ended with Psalm 121: 

“I will lift mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh 

my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made 

heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; 

He that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, He that 

keepeth Israel shall neither slumber or sleep. The Lord is 

thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The 

sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 

The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; He shall preserve 

thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy 

coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” 

Walking across the stage, receiving their diplomas, 

the graduates shook the hands with Brother Roger, 

area priests, Education Commission Chair Jerry Kuehl, 

Commencement Speaker and English teacher, Mrs. 

Wacker, and Guidance Counselor, Jerry Van Dyke. 

The ceremony was concluded with the singing of 

the alma mater, lead by Fr. Felix, a closing prayer, and 

the students and teachers processing out to watch the 

senior slide show. 

We would like to share with you here and on the next 

two pages the entire speech put together by Ann and 

Hayley: 

By: Valedictorian Ann Kuehl and 

Salutatorian Hayley Bresina 

The class of 2012 is here before us 

For an occasion quite momentous. 

But more than classmates, gathered here 

Are our closest friends of thirteen years. 

At St. Charles, we set off and together grew as one 

Our quest for knowledge had just begun. 

A new set of kids; a new millennium too, 

McDonell News 7 

No worries or cares, the playground we’d pursue; 

PB&Js brought to lunch with Mitzi on the prowl, 

If you didn’t finish your milk, you’d be sure to get a 

scowl! When we were little, we used our imaginations. 

Tomfooleries in SKYLAB brought innocent fascination. 

Holy Ghost Elementary next called our names, 

Where school smarts and new experiences came. 

There were many exciting opportunities to greet, 

But some were more bitter, not all of them sweet. 

Sadness colored our lives our third grade year 

We lost Mrs. Roesler, a beloved coach, friend, and 

teacher. We were already nine before that year was 

through, But we still had lots more growing up to do! 

On the blacktop, we played football each recess 

With tons of kickballs going at once, our game was 

always a success! 

The lunch ladies won us all over with their 

kind smiles and tacos, continued There were always 

second helpings, and the helpings were jumbo! 

In fifth grade, we broadened our horizons with 

band and choir, We gave glory and praises to God by 

lifting our voices higher. This was more freedom than 

Mr. Wozniak ever threw our way, 

Remember: “IF YOU PLAY BEFORE I SAY I’LL TAKE AWAY!” 

In fifth grade we also were thrown out on the court 

With the help of our coaches, 

See SPEECH cont. on page 8 

Attending L to R: Jerry Van Dyke, Guidance Counselor, 

Commencement Speaker and English teacher, 

Mrs. Wacker, Rev. Al Sonnberger, Rev. Victor Inbaraj, 

Rev. Mark Pierce, Rev. William Felix, Chaplain Rev. Justin 

Kizewski, Very Rev. Edward Shuttleworth, Dean and 

Education Commisson Chair Jerry Kuehl. 

Above: Celebrating are Dennis Sloan, Tyler Erickson, and Chris Suilmann 

Above Right: Paul Buchmann, Tommy Coughlin, Laura Kopp, and Hayley Bresina pose together.


SPEECH continued from page 7 

we tasted the wide world of sports 

To many it came naturally: they could do it all… 

Others had fun, but could hardly dribble the ball 

Holy Ghost was a time of discovery, both inside and out, 

But middle school was coming, with more to learn about. 

Moving to Notre Dame was a distinct transition 

Once more being the youngest: underdog was our position 

We had a long string of substitutes our sixth grade year 

Some taught us well, but others brought us fear. 

With sailor suits, strange hands, and oddities galore 

We approached seventh grade wondering what could happen 

more 

The Canada project allowed us to study a new land 

It also tested how much our patience could stand. 

During our eighth grade-year, history was made, 

Notre Dame closed its doors; 

continuing at McDonell seemed an unfair trade 

Shoved in the basement and behind glass doors 

We didn’t realize then how much enjoyment was in store. 

Crazy stories from Mrs. Butler kept us all on our toes, 

What excitement tomorrow’s class would bring, 

only the Lord knows! 

From butterflies in stomachs anticipating our first speeches, 

To Mrs. Rubenzer encouraging us to live out what Father 

preaches. 

Trying new things together, we began to mature, 

Allowing us to discover who we truly were. 

Valley Fair, Algebra, and service projects for our neighbors, 

The memories from eighth grade we continue to savor. 

Before we knew it, McDonell was our world, 

And as we grew, our dreams unfurled. 

Freshmen year came with many new adjustments, 

Fresh to us were block classes, foreign language, 

the Tilden students, 

But as the year drove on, brand new faces became 

old best friends, 

Enduring test after test together, biding our time 

till the weekends, 

Those weekends were filled with lots of Macks cheer, 

Our football team really kicked butt that year. 

We were living high with sports and branching 

out after class; 

From Spanish Club to Show Choir, 

extracurriculars were a blast! 

As we took the wheel, our parents’ nervousness grew 

And we proved it right, we’ve ALL seen flashing 

red and blue. 

But no one got hurt, and this taught us a lot, 

Safer drivers?...we are…somewhat. 

Our sports teams went to all corners of the state 

Face paint and Macks apparel, we just couldn’t wait! 

Our volleyball team played their hearts out— 

daring and bold, Good job girls!! You brought home the gold! 

Cross country and track kids were runners with passion 

For them, going to state is still in high fashion. 

Through all of the wins, we thanked God for success, 

We’re proud to be a part of such athletic prowess. 

We can’t forget we were still students in school 

Learning from Mrs. Wacker all those darn grammer rules. 

Father Kizewski came sophomore year, and he blew us away 

With his Disney singing and wit he brightened our day. 

By this time we were at principal number eight, 

But Brother Roger made his entrance and his 

legacy’s been great. 

And so, as juniors, we dove headlong in 

What were we doing, where to begin? 

We were cracking home runs, 

we were singing beautiful songs 

And most of all, conditioning our minds to be strong. 

Our eyes opened bright to the wide world around, 

Becoming adults, our hopes high from the ground. 

Valedictorian, Ann Kuehl and Saluditorian, Hayley Bresina honor their 

classmates with this speech during the graduation ceremony. 

As a class, we also drew closer together, 

There for each other in the stormiest weather. 

And though dark things would cross our way, 

We supported one another and looked to a new day. 

Making plans for prom, or stressing over final tests, 

Time sped by, but with fond memories we are blessed. 

So the class of 2012 began our final year 

With dreams stretching both far and near 

Planning for the future always, but living for present, 

We made the best of each day, enjoying every moment. 

Fun took the form of senior class shirts, 

but this fun was fleeting, 

And we found ourselves all gathered at our 

first senior meeting. 

Our teachers couldn’t always see the humor of our class, 

We didn’t let it slow us down though, we continued to have a 

blast! 

On theme nights for volleyball, our spirit really shined; 

Whether we were hicks or beach bums, 

we looked hella fine. 

Homecoming was a wonderful night to remember, 

But school kept getting tougher, 

and it was hardly September. 

We had to crack down on the books, and study for hours, 

With calculus and physics, only Mr. Reiter had the power, 

To teach us the material so we could get that “A” 

And get accepted into our dream school one day. 

The weather got colder, snow covered the ground, 

But inside school, there were exciting activities 

to be found. 

Many hours were spent preparing for Beauty and 

the Beast, 

But for the rest of us watching, the enjoyment never 

ceased. 

The snow was scarce for the ski team, the weather didn’t 

support. 

Although Hayley and Cole assure me it is a real sport. 

Our basketball teams excelled, you couldn’t help but clap 

your hands 

Jumbo heads and face paint made an appearance in the 

stands. 

The girls and boys made us proud, advancing on and on, 

With win after win, a new era began to dawn. 

And once again with our class, history was made. 

We headed to Madison in a big blue and yellow 

car parade. 

As the year progressed, acceptance letters appeared 

in the mailbox, 

We knew that at each college possibility, 

different opportunities knock. 

Making the decision proved to be stressful and tough, 

But once we’d chosen our path, 

we couldn’t be relieved enough. 

We couldn’t advance to next year, 

before finishing this one, 

Prom, spring sports, and finals were still to be done. 

Prom in Paris was a magical night, 

We danced and sang until they turned down the lights. 

Hashtag, Movin like Bernie, YOLO, SWAG! 

Tacky, catchy songs and silly phrases made school 

less of a drag. 

The track team proved their strength, 

whether they run, jump, or toss, 

Good luck to Hayley and Michael on your final showdown 

in La Crosse. 

Baseball and softball had enthusiasm 

and leadership strong, 

Adding to McDonell’s legacy, a legacy that is 

successful and long. 

And on Baccalaureate night, with our caps held high 

We once again thanked the Lord and tried not to cry. 

For we knew that we were approaching the end 

Where we now must say goodbye to our 

teachers and friends. 

We both wish you well as you continue to live your life 

And would like to offer you one final bit of advice. 

Whether you become a cab driver or a surgeon, 

Whichever profession you choose, be a good one. 

Stay true to yourself doing something you 

genuinely love, 

Try your best each day in your work, 

exalting our God above, 

Do not be afraid to make a few mistakes along the way, 

So long as you learn from them 

and try again the next day. 

As you gain success in life, and have your own 

sons and daughters, 

Be proud of your roots, of McDonell, of your alma mater. 

McDonell not only presented outstanding education, 

but also many spiritual tools, 

Gratitude to our parents, 

who could not have picked a better school. 

Where teachers unconditionally care about students 

beyond expectation, 

To ensure we are well prepared for any university 

in the nation. 

For all the extra hours kindly put in and much 

needed study sessions, 

You’ve taught us good character and responsibility beyond 

your planned lessons. 

The class of 2012 is here before us 

For an occasion quite momentous. 

But more than classmates, gathered here 

Are our closest friends of thirteen years. 

So again to our parents and teachers we sincerely 

offer a standing ovation, 

On behalf of preparing us for this day, our high school 

graduation. 

McDonell News 9


Class of 2012 top students 

Ann Kuehl, Valedictorian, 

Bishop’s Award Winner, 

National Merit Scholar 

Hayley Bresina, Salutatorian 

Statistics about the 

class of 2012 

• All 38 graduates will be attending 20 colleges in 

six states and the Marine Corps. 

• Several students took advanced placement classes 

and exams in eight subjects. Thirteen earned 

college credits by participating in the Viterbo 

University Diocesan High School College Credit 

Program. 

• Forty-five organizations presented scholarships 

to this class. Over 63% of these seniors received at 

least one scholarship. 

• Scholarships totaled $705,250 in May with more 

coming from the Huettner Foundation Scholarship 

and Rutledge Charities and through the summer. 

Congratulations Graduates! 

1st Generation Graduates 

Peter Arriola son of Rey and Jodi Arriola 

Tracy Bates daughter of Rod and Annette Bates 

Blake Bertrand son of Skip and Julie Bertrand 

Hayley Bresina daughter of Bill and Heidi Bresina, 

and the late Janet Bresina 

Paul Buchmann son of 

Michael and Wendy Buchmann 

Morgan Clegg daughter of Mel and Sheila Clegg 

Kyle Cody son of Gene and Jackie Cody 

Thomas Coughlin son of Mike and Ann Coughlin 

Adam Deetz son of Michael and Michelle Deetz 

Tyler Erickson son of Deb Erickson and 

the late Mark Erickson 

Alyssa Glasby daughter of 

Todd Glasby and Steve and Lynda Larson 

Sebastian Hernandez Duque son of Jesus Maria 

Hernandez and Omaira Duque 

Ann Kuehl daughter of Mary and Jerry Kuehl 

Ellen McIlquham daughter of 

John and MaryKay McIlquham 

Hannah Milkert daughter of Matt and Barb Milkert 

Kendra Miller daughter of Tonja and Scott Stelzer 

Cassandra Ortmann daughter of 

Daniel and Suzy Ortmann 

John Plendl son of Steve and Ann Plendl 

Sheldon Sarauer daughter of 

Mike Sarauer and Kellie Bill 

Dennis Sloan son of Martin and Charlotte Sloan 

Christopher Suilmann son of 

John and Deanna Suilmann 

4th Generation Graduates 

Ryan Baier son of Richard ‘88 and Rose (Davis) ‘87, 

grandson of Leon ’ 62 and Luanne (Bresina) Baier ‘64, 

great-grandson of Henry ’34 and 

Delores Bresina 

Katelynn Hebert daughter of Chris Hebert ‘92, 

granddaughter of Robert Hebert ‘68, 

great-granddaughter of 

Virginia (Schoonover) Hebert ‘39 

2nd Generation Graduates 

Theodore Amelse son of 

Theodore ‘72 and Sherry Amelse 

Mitchell Schulner son of 

Randy ‘75 and Laurie (McCombs) ‘75 Schulner 

Jennifer See daughter of 

Joe ‘74 and Tami See 

Jade Sharpe daughter of 

Doug and Mary (Henry) Sharpe ‘80 

Allison Waldusky daughter of 

Mike ‘80 and Debi Waldusky 

Kathryn Wenaas daughter of Paul 

and Teresa (Amelse) Wenaas ‘79 

3rd Generation Graduates 

Austin Hiess son of 

Jason ‘84 and Kellie (McCombs) Hiess ‘84 

grandson of Jerome Hiess ‘63 

Jordyn Kopp daughter of Kevin Kopp ‘79 and Sandy 

Kopp, granddaughter of 

Katie (Thornton) Kopp ‘47 

Laura Kopp daughter of Ian Kopp and 

Jenna Schafer ‘88, granddaughter of 

Gordy and Donna (Erickson) Schafer ‘58 

Michael Ruf son of Ronnie ‘79 and Cindy Ruf and 

grandson of William Ruf ‘57 

Sarah Schoch daughter of William ‘81 Schoch and 

Connie (Rauscher) Schoch ‘81, granddaughter of 

Carol (Bernier) Lien ‘54 

Cody Swoboda son of 

Thomas ‘77 and Carmen Swoboda, 

grandson of Helen (Langel) Swoboda ‘48 

Cole Tenold son of Scott and Lisa (Hebert) ‘80, 

grandson of Stephen ‘57 and 

Ione (Swoboda) Hebert ‘57 

Patricia Heidtke daughter of Brian ‘84 and Kara 

(Murphy) ‘85, granddaughter of Karen (Kressin) 

Heidtke ‘62 John Murphy ‘38 and 

Patricia (Connell) Murphy ‘39, great-granddaughter 

of Angeline (Frenette) Connell ‘14 

Collin Meinen son of David ‘81 and Diane Meinen, 

grandson of Robert Meinen ‘53, great-grandson of 

Ethel (Bowe) Meinen ‘32 

Seniors L to R: Cole Tenold, Allison Waldusky, Mitchell Schulner, Laura Kopp, Austin Hiess, Adam Deetz.

Deb Roesler Memorial 

Volleyball Tournament 

Thank you to all the alumni who took the time to put together a 

team! We have a lot of fun with two divisions. Division I play includes 

class years in the 1990s and 2000s while Division 2 is made up mostly 

of the 1980s and 1970s. We come together to meet and greet and 

have fun playing volleyball all for the kids! 

In memory of Deb Roesler the team entry fees are added to a 

scholarship fund called “Circle of Life” in memory of Deb Roesler. The 

scholarship is given out each year to an eighth grade boy and girl 

going into McDonell High. 

This year recipients, chosen anonymous by essay was Derek 

Zumbrock and Taya Kremer. 

Division 2 Winners - Class of 1980 team 

Back row: Jennifer Rubenzer, Sheri Vandehaar, Mary (Pederson ’80) 

McIlquham, Front row: Deb Zwiefelhofer ’80, Alecia McIlquham ‘08, 

Ashley McIlquham ‘06 

Division 1 Winners - Class of 2000 team 

L to R: Lindsey Feuling ‘00, Kat (Roesler ‘03) Hanson, Erin Rihn ‘00, 

Kari (Roesler ’00) Stepp, Anne (Willkom ‘01) Lathrop, Katie Olson ‘00 

Alumni Upcoming Events 

Friday, September 14 - McDonell Homecoming versus 

Abbotsford, 7:00 p.m. 

Saturday, September 22 - Drive One 4U fundraiser for the Music 

Boosters, in the McDonell parking lot. 

Saturday, October 6 - “Spirit of the Macks” 22nd Annual Silent - 

Live Auction at McDonell, 6:30 p.m. 

Monday, October 22 - McDonell Fall Concert, 7:00 p.m. 

Saturday, November 10 - Spaghetti Spectacular MACS fundraiser 

at McDonell, 11:00 a.m. 

Monday, December 17 - McDonell Christmas Concert, 7:00 p.m. 

Alunni BasketballTournament 

Fourteen Alumna and friends came together for the first-time ever 

to play basketball. The team coming out on top consisted of Ari 

Gardow ‘11, Ellen Plendl ‘08, Danielle Freagon ‘06, Kelly Miller ‘06, 

Megan McChesney, Samantha (Bischel ‘05) Miller, Larisa Hepfler ’03 

Trivia Question 

Alumni News 11 

McDonell Class of 

2006 gets the bragging 

rights to winning the 

Competitive Bracket of 

the Alumni Tournament 

Basketball in 2012 and 

the class year on the 

trophy. Members of 

the team left to right 

are Andy McCombs ‘06, 

Walkerlee Brown ‘06, 

Trent Sonnentag ‘06, 

Dustin Hunt ‘06 (holding 

the trophy), Joe Berg,’06 

Alex Stevens ‘06, Issac 

Ryba ‘06 and Charlie 

Martell ‘06. 

Competitive Consulation 

Bracket winners were the 

Class of 2010. 

Classic Recreational 

Division, Class of 1985 

Recreational Consolation 

Bracket, Class of 1994 

This McDonell Class of XXXX came to daily Mass offered in the chapel during the lunch time for 

the students last Spring. Tom Hebert ‘36 (in wheelchair) joined the class for Mass. Father Justin 

Kizewski posed with them for a picture before running up to his classroom to teach Latin. 

Can you name the class year? 

All correct answers will be put in a drawing for a $25 business gift card of your choice. 

Email: MackMessenger@macs.k12.wi.us 

Write: McDonell Alumni Office, att: Cathy Greenseth 

1316 Bel Air Blvd 

Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

McDonell 2012 Hall of Fame inductees 

The McDonell Central Catholic High School is proud 

to announce the 2012 Distinguished Alumni who were 

inducted into the McDonell Hall of Fame. The following 

recipients reflect the mission, vision, and values of 

the McDonell Area Catholic Schools and have had a 

positive impact on McDonell Central Catholic High 

School. 

This year the selection committee has chosen two 

nominees for athletic achievements and one for 

outstanding achievement or service to the school. 

These recipients were honored and family members 

received their awards at the Alumni Banquet, held on 

Saturday, May 12, 2012. The evening began with a 4:00 

p.m. Mass at St. Charles Borromeo Church for all living 

and deceased McDonell Alum. Following the Mass was 

a social, along with dinner and the award ceremony at 

McDonell Central Catholic High School. 

The following Distinguished Alumni were inducted 

into the McDonell Hall of Fame: 

Athletic: 

Dr. Christopher Bowe, a McDonell graduate from 

the class of 1991, was a highly accomplished basketball 

player. Chris played at the varsity level his entire high 

school career, beginning with the 1987-88 season. He 

was a member of the First Team All-Conference his 

sophomore, junior and senior year in addition to being 

captain. Chris earned the title of All-Time leading scorer 

for the CWCC (Central Wisconsin Catholic 

Conference) and All-Time leading 

scorer at McDonell Central by the end 

of his senior year. The McDonell boy’s 

basketball team won the Conference 

Championship title during his senior 

year, which earned them a trip to the 

WISAA state tournament. In addition, Chris was named 

Honorable Mention All-State. Chris was coached by 

fellow Hall of Fame inductee Dave Flanagan. 

Chris went on to the University of Wisconsin Madison 

where he graduated with a degree in Zoology in 1995, 

then went on to medical school and graduated from 

UW Madison Medical School in 1999. He finished his 

emergency medicine residency at the Maine Medical 

Center in Portland, Maine and is currently the Associate 

Residency Director in the Department of Emergency 

Medicine at the same center. 

Chris is the son of Ted (Class of ’63) and Anna Bowe. 

Chris married fellow classmate Stephanie Stolp (’91), 

and they have six children. His two oldest sons are 

carrying on with their father’s excellent basketball 

skills, both being named to First Team All State in 

Maine. Alex, the oldest, is a student at the University 

of Virginia and Theo is at Northeastern University in 

Boston. His other children are: Allison, a sophomore in 

high school, Madeleine an 8th grader, Harrison, a 6th 

grader and their youngest, William, a 2nd grader. Chris 

considers himself to be very fortunate adding to his list 

of accomplishments the title of Little League and Youth 

Basketball coach. 

John “Johnny” Smith graduated from McDonell 

Memorial High School in 1948 and was well known 

for his athletic excellence on the football field. He and 

his brother, Myles “Mickey” Class of 1950, were often 

referred to as the “cough drop twins” because of the 

Smith Brothers cough drops and each playing the same 

football position, half back. The Macks football team 

from 1947 was the last team in the State of Wisconsin 

to be scored on that year. John also played basketball 

all four years and was part of a 

citywide baseball team as the 

Macks did not have a baseball 

team at the time. 

John was involved in a serious 

rollover car accident after 

graduation which left him in a 

coma for several weeks. After his 

recovery, he went to school at the 

University of Wisconsin Madison 

to earn his teaching degree in addition to playing 

football. His football career at UW-Madison was cut 

short due to the start of the Korean War. John joined 

the Army and was a member of the WI 82nd Airborne 

Division, stationed at Fort Briggs. He played intramural 

football and baseball for the Army. After his two year 

tour of duty, he came home and went to the University 

of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and played football again. 

During his senior year, the football team was State 

Champions, with their record of being the only team to 

finish the season un-scored upon. 

After graduating from college, John was a teacher 

of Social Studies and a high school football coach for 

a few years before following in his father’s footsteps 

and going into sales. He sold books to schools and 

Left to right: Accepting the honor for Johnny Smith 

48 are his two brothers Mickey ‘50 and Patrick ‘66. 

Accepting for Chris Bowe ‘91 are his parents Anna and 

Ted ‘63, and on behalf of Father Dan Farley 76 is his 

brother Mark ‘80 and sister Sharon ‘74. 

had a great career. John never lost his love for athletics, 

especially football. After coaching he went on to 

umpire school for a variety of sports, not just football. 

He was an active parent volunteer while his children 

were growing up, coaching Little League and being an 

Indian Guide leader. John is dearly missed by those 

who knew him, especially his wife Ginger, their four 

children and his three siblings, Myles ’50, Bette (Smith) 

Wild ’54 and Patrick ‘66, as he passed away in 1983 after 

a long battle with prostate cancer. 

Achievement and Service 

Father Dan Farley was a member of the McDonell 

Central High School Class of 1976. Father Dan knew at 

an early age that he wanted to be a priest. However, 

this dream did not come true for quite some time as he 

struggled with epilepsy throughout his school years. 

He was told over and over again that he could not 

become a priest because of this disease. Father Dan 

overcame many obstacles, and with great perseverance 

because he truly believed it was 

his calling, was ordained a priest in 

June of 1998 at the age of 40. 

One of Father Dan’s first 

assignments as a new priest was 

Chaplain of the Young Adult 

Ministry in 1999. During this time 

he also founded the Retrouvaille 

Program (a program to help 

struggling married couples) for the Diocese of 

La Crosse. In 2000, he was assigned to Maximilian 

Kolbe Parish, where he was successful in combining 

four parishes in southeastern Portage County into 

one and built a new church. This was a task the two 

previous priests were unable to accomplish. 

Father Dan’s accomplishments are many. Before 

being ordained, he worked with gangs on the streets of 

L.A., connecting with young people and visiting them 

in juvenile detention centers. There were at least 10-15 

shootings a night in this area, preparing him for his 

later work as an Army Chaplain. He served as a Major 

in the US Army in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, where 

often times he had to jump out of the helicopter to 

get to his next location because it was too dangerous 

to land. In an article written for the Catholic Times on 

November 17, 2005, Father was quoted as saying, “I 

learned to always be looking around, see who’s doing 

what, and to know where the danger spots are. But I 

also learned, both in L.A. and Iraq that this is where I 

needed to be – if this is where God intended me to be, 

that God will take care of me.” 

It was on one of his missions as Army Chaplain that 

Father Dan had the first symptoms of what would later 

be diagnosed as ALS (commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s 

disease). He accepted this cross with total trust in God 

and His plan. He passed away on December 18, 2011 at 

the young age of 54.

Above: 

Dale Slaby, 

Wayne Jensen, 

Dan Hunt ‘71, 

Eric Monarski ‘92, 

Kent Vandehaar 

Left: Carol (Steinmentz ‘78) 

Meagher and Kip Panek 

registering the golfers and 

Kip continues throughout 

the day keeping track as 

scorekeeper. 

Booster Club 22nd Annual 

Golf Scramble 

The 22nd Annual Golf Outing event was held on May 

19th at Timber Terrace Golf Course. The boosters had 75 

golfers at this year’s event and raised around $10,000 for 

the McDonell Athletic Booster Club. 

The banquet was held in the McDonell Commons with 

McDonald Company doing a great job providing the food for the dinner. 

The weather for this year’s event was awesome and we are looking forward to next 

year – May 18th, 2013. 

Here are the winners of this year’s event: 

Mixed Couples: Greg Misfeldt, Jon Crawford, Dick Schneider, 

Lynne Bauer, Jackie Moulton 


Seniors: Captain Dick Marquie ‘53, Megs Hebert ‘48, Jim Bembnister ‘46, Bob Crosby, 

Homer Peloquin ‘52, Dick Monarski ‘59 

Open Division: Captain Mitch Meagher ‘07, Jon Schoch ‘08, Matt Misfeldt ‘07, 

John Olson ‘08, Josh Hanzlik ‘08, Andrew Ruf ‘07 

The golfers enjoy a cool refreshing break delivered by Brittney Holzem and Nikki 

Eder. L to R: Dan Meagher ‘72, Keith Nelson ’74, Brittney Holzem ’05, Nikki Eder ’02, 

Jerry Holzem and Jerre Eckes ‘69. 

Thank you! 

A plaque was presented by the Golf Scramble 

committee, from the Athletic Boosters, to Dick Marquie 

for his time, dedication and talent for the past 22 years 

of service to the event. 

Thanks to all the sponsors, participants and 

volunteers for the past 22 years. This event has raised 

approximately $250,000 for the high school athletic 

programs, all supported by the McDonell Booster Club. 

Left: Dick Marquie ‘53, Megs Hebert ‘48, Jerry Holzem, 

Jerre Eckes ‘69, Terry Durch ‘72, Dan Hunt ‘71. Missing 

from photo is committee member Kent Vandehaar. 

Keep in Touch! 

You can find news from McDonell Alumni on 

the internet at: www.macs.k12.wi.us/alumni 

or on Facebook search McDonell Central 

High School Alumni and McDonell Area 

Catholic Schools.

14 Alumni News 

1930s 

= Dorothy L (Ritzinger) 

Rowan, Class of 1935, passed 

away on Saturday, March 3, 

2012. “Dot” is survived by 

her husband Cletus; three sons 

Russell ‘58 (Sharon Meinen), 

Dennis ‘59, and Tim ‘74; four 

daughters Roberta (Larry) 

Culbert, Carol ‘68 Heyde, 

Nancy ‘72 (Dan) Normand 

and Julie (Tarry) Brumfiel; 

22 grandchildren, 36 great 

grandchildren and one great 

great grandson. She was 

preceded in death by her 

parents; one brother Glen ‘34, 

four sisters Mildred Peterson, 

Georgianna ‘43 Harbick, 

Virginia ‘39 Schultz and Lucille 

‘41 Anderl. 

1940s 

= Anthony Deniger, Class 

of 1947, passed away on 

September 3, 2011. He is 

survived by his wife Shirley, ten 

children and 18 grandchildren. 

Tony was one of eight children. 

1950s 

= Ethel Mayer, Class of 1950, 

passed away on September 9, 

2011. 

= Gerald P. O’Driscoll, Class of 

1953, passed away on Monday, 

April 23, 2012. He is survived 

by his wife of 55 years, Darlene 

(Bowe); five sons, Randy 

(Brenda), Mike (Cindy), Jeffrey 

(Sue), Dennis ‘80 (Debbie) and 

Rick; five grandchildren, one 

step grandson, three great 

grandchildren and one sister 

Pat ‘45 (Vern) Albrecht. He 

was preceded in death by his 

parents and two sisters, Demi 

‘42 Ash and Eileen ‘57. 

= Marilyn McKay Amundson, 

Class of 1957, passed away 

on May 17, 2011 after 

complications from lymphoma. 

She lived in Clinton, Mississippi 

and is survived by her two 

children, Laura and Eric, her 

sister Sue ‘62 Elstran and her 

sister-in-law Jean McKay. She 

was preceded in death by her 

parents, Reginald and Doris 

(‘37 Haley), and her brother 

Robert. 

1960s 

= Nancy Jo (Gorton) 

Rothbauer, Class of 1968, 

passed away on Tuesday April 

26, 2011 due to complications 

from small cell lung cancer. 

She is survived by her 

mother, Ardith (Norquist) 

Gorton, her sisters Debbie 

(’67 Gorton) Ritzinger and 

Patty (’73 Gorton) Virnig, 

her brother David ’72, her 

children Michael Rothbauer, 

Michelle (’89 Rubenzer) Asp 

and four grandchildren. She 

was preceded in death by 

her father, Kenneth Gorton. 

= Charles “Charlie” Gaier, 

Class of 1960, passed away 

on Wednesday, May 2, 

2012 after a battle with 

Mass Intention at 

McDonell Central Catholic 

High School Chapel 

Mass dates are available for the 2012-2013 school year for 

any individual or class interested in having a Mass said for 

a loved one or class member(s) - living or deceased. The 

person(s) will be named as part of the general intercession 

for that Mass. Please fill out the name or class year for the 

Mass in the space provided. Masses are $10 per intention. 

Name (please print) 

Please say Mass around this date: 

This person is: ___ living ___ deceased 

Send your intention to: 

Rev. Robert Letona, Chaplain 

c/o McDonell Central Catholic High School, 1316 Bel Air Blvd. 

Chippewa Falls, WI 54729. Make check payable to: McDonell HS 

Class Notes 

Please send us your Class Notes. 

tel: (715) 723.0538 

eml: MackMessenger@macs.k12.wi.us 

Write: Advancement & Alumni Relations Office, 

1316 Bel Air Blvd., Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 

pneumonia. He is survived by 

his daughter Mollie and her 

husband Scott plus their two 

children; brother Robert ‘66 

and sister-in-law Brenda and 

sister-in-law Janice: numerous 

nieces and nephews. He was 

preceded in death by his 

parents, Barbara and Carl 

Gaier, his sister Vernetta and 

his brother Ronald. 

= Reid M. Tripper, Class 

of 1960, passed away on 

Wednesday, March 21, 2012. 

He married Kathleen ‘60 

Hassemer and later divorced. 

He is survived by his daughter 

Tracey ‘81 (Ken) Mitich, three 

sons Scott (Tracy), Dale ‘81 and 

Dean ‘82; a brother Neil ‘63 

and eight grandchildren. He 


parents; a brother Scott ‘58, a 

sister-in-law Jean (‘58 Loiselle) 

and daughter-in-law Nancy 

(‘80 Stelter-Ziebel) Trippler. 

= Anton “Tony” L. 

Schleppenbach, Class of 1969, 

passed away on Thursday, 

March 1, 2012. Tony is 

survived by his wife, Carolyn; 

five siblings Arline ‘59 (Scott) 

Taylor, John ‘61 (Barb), Jeanne 

‘62 (Ralph) Preall, David ‘66 

(Linda) and Jim ‘72 (Sue) and 

many nieces and nephews. He 


parents, George and Cecelia 

(‘32 Gauthier), his brother 

George ‘58 and his wife 

Sharon. 

1980s 

Michael Akan (‘89) and his 

wife Mary Ellen had their 

first child, a healthy baby boy 

named Patrick Michael Akan 

on January 15, 2012 at 1:15 

a.m. Michael states, “All are 

well and he is growing so 

quickly!” The Akans reside in 

Hudson. 

1990s 

Laura Konop (‘99) and Jerome 

Roach were united in marriage 

on June 9, 2012 at Holy Ghost 

Church in Chippewa Falls. 

2000s 

Justin (’02) and Nicci (Clark) 

Zwiefelhofer are the proud 

parents of a baby girl, Aubrey 

Jean, born on March 3, 2011. 

The family resides in Green 

Bay. 

Colin Sullivan (‘02) and 

Brittney Seaberg were 

united in marriage on June 

16, 2012. They will reside in 

Minnetonka, Minnesota. 

Kathryn (Kat) Roesler (‘03) 

and DeWayne Hanson were 

united in marriage on June 16, 

2012. Parents of the bride are 

Steve Roesler and the late Deb 

Roesler. 

Julie (‘07 Rohrman) Randall 

graduated Summa Cum Laude 

from Franciscan University of 

Steubenville in May 2011. She 

and her husband Jesse are 

living in the Green Bay area. 

Samuel Rubenzer (‘07) and 

Ashley Meinen (‘08) were 

married on August 4, 2012 

at Notre Dame Church in 

Chippewa Falls. Parents of the 

bride are Theresa (Davis ‘78) 

and David (‘76) Meinen and 

Becky and Tom (‘80) Rubenzer, 

all of Chippewa Falls. 

Ellen Plendl (‘08) was named 

Athlete of the Week for Feb. 

6-12 at UW-Eau Claire. She 

recorded her 12th doubledouble 

of the season in a 

blowout victory against UW- 

Stout. She finished with 18 

points, 11 rebounds, and 5 

blocks. 

Jonathan (‘00) and Erin Jansky 

are happy to announce the 

arrival of their baby boy, Evan 

Frederick, born on September 

27, 2011 (weighing 9 lbs. 

and measuring 22 in. long). 

Evan’s proud grandparents 

are Leroy and Patricia Jansky 

of Chippewa Falls and Stanley 

and Karen Henning of Elk 

Mound. 

Joel (‘03) and April Jansky are 

pleased to announce the birth 

of their son, Conner Leroy, on 

March 30, 2012, weighing 6 

lbs., 13 oz. and measuring 20 

1/4 in. long. Conner’s proud 

grandparents are Leroy and 

Patricia Jansky of Chippewa 

Falls and William and Jeanine 

Webb of Holcombe. 

Friends 

of McDonell 

= Kenneth J. Kurtenbach 

passed away on Tuesday, 

February 28, 2012. He is 

survived by his wife, Betty; 

four sons Michael ‘83 (Cindy), 

Patrick ‘86 (Bridget ‘87 

Boiteau), Paul ‘87 and David 

‘89; one brother, two sisters 

and 11 grandchildren. He 

was preceded in death by 

his parents, one brother and 

three sisters. 

= Dorothy E. (Chapman) 

Sokup passed away on 

Saturday, April 4, 2012. She 

is survived by one son, Scott 

‘88 (Karla); one daughter 

Sandra ‘86 (Jim) Ternus, one 

brother and three sisters and 

five grandchildren. She was 

preceded in death by her 

husband, Bernard J. Sokup Jr. 

‘55, her parents, two brothers 

-in-law, one sister-in-law and 

one grandson. 

= Joan E. (Schubert) Farmer 

passed away on Saturday, 

April 7, 2012. She is survived 

by two sons, Rick ‘74 (Carol 

Greenseth ‘81) and Dave 

‘81, four daughters, Jane 

(Michael) Miller, Julie (Dave) 

Potts, Karol (Mike) Bednar 

and Karen (Brian) Swensen, 

along with 12 grandchildren, 

five great grandchildren. She 

was preceded in death by her 

husband, James, two sons, 

Scott and Christopher, her 

continued to page 11

NOTES continued from page 10 

parents and one brother, Jack. 

= Mary Ann (Weinzierl) LeCleir 

passed away on April 18, 

2012. She is survived by one 

son, Retired Air Force Major 

General James ‘59 (Kathleen); 

two daughters Ardith ‘54 

(William ‘59) McIlquham, Sr., 

and Patricia ‘67 (Richard ‘59) 

Farrington; 10 grandchildren, 

15 great grandchildren and 

one great great grandaughter. 

She was preceded in death 

by her husband Arthur, her 

parents, three brothers and six 

sisters. 

= U.S. Army Retired Major 

Duane B. Ford passed away 

on March 1, 2012. He is 

survived by his wife, Joan (‘48 

Peloquin) and five children, 

David ‘72 (Kielo), Mary Jo 

‘74 (Randy) Kobyluk, James 

(Jane ‘79 Wermund), Jean 

and Timothy (Tracy), along 

with eight grandchildren. He 


parents, two brothers and a 

sister. 

REUNION 

Class of 1952 - Get 

together on Friday, September 

7th at the Fill Inn and Saturday the 

8th at Avalon. For any questions 

call Bonnie Hayes at 715.723.4838. 

Did you have a reunion over 

the summer? We would love to 

to share some photos in the Mack 

Messenger of your event. Send 

in your photos and identify the 

classmates to 

mackmessenger@macs.k12.wi.us 

or bring them in to the MACS 

Alumni Office at McDonell High. 

Leaving your Legacy 

Chuck Frenette, Advancement Advisor • c.frenette@macs.k12.wi.us 

This year we celebrate the 130th 

anniversary that McDonell High School 

has been providing children within 

the Chippewa Falls Deanery with the 

groundwork for a Faith based “Education for 

Life”. It also marks the 25th anniversary of 

becoming one unified Catholic educational 

system in the community. 

For any organization to exist this length 

of time says something for the value of 

the product that is offered to parents of 

students seeking a Faith based education. 

McDonell alumni are a critical component 

for ongoing financial success of McDonell 

Area Catholic Schools, currently the 

only Consolidated School System in the 

Diocese of La Crosse without any debt. 

It is your support to our various pleas for 

funding, as well as that of supporting 

parishes, community, and parents that 

allow us to maintain financial viability and 

sustainability. 

Achieving and maintaining a debt free 

status is an ongoing challenge: 

• Reductions in parish school subsidies 

have been a focus of school administration 

but further decreases need to occur to 

provide additional relief to financially 

burdened parishes. 

• Teacher salaries have improved but 

remain below our target salary level for 

secular educational institutions, knowing 

that we will never meet the salary scale of 

the public educational sector. 

• Even though our tuition level is one of 

the lowest in the Diocese, young families 

struggle to meet the financial commitment 

of sending their children to MACS. Our 

policy states that “no child will be denied a 

Catholic School education because a family 

cannot afford it”. A sizable percentage of 

28th Annual Alumni Craft Expo 

The craft expo will be held on Saturday, November 

17, 2012 at the McDonell Central Catholic High School 

starting at 9 am. This alumni fundraising event each year 

is on the opening Saturday of deer hunting season. 

Alumni and crafters contact the Alumni Association 

Secretary Julie (Bembnister ‘73) Clark to help or 

participate in this successful event. 

Julie Clark 

304 S. Grove Street 

Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 

715.723.0907 

our young families require some level of 

assistance to meet the tuition requirements. 

• The fast paced world of technology is an 

ever growing need in education. Children 

today are taught with the tools provided 

in our technical world. Parents of these 

students expect that we utilize current 

technology in the educational setting. 

• And of course, facilities need constant 

upgrading, improvements, and repairs in 

well maintained but aging buildings. It’s 

hard to believe that the current high school 

facility will soon be 50 years old. 

Your ongoing support through our 

annual appeal and phone-a-thon helps 

us to finance ongoing operations and 

start to address many of the issues listed 

above. We at McDonell Area Catholic 

Schools are eternally grateful for your 

ongoing support. 

Beyond the annual appeals for your 

support have you considered leaving a 

legacy through your estate? It is a known 

fact that baby-boomers have amassed 

considerable wealth over their lifetime 

and that without proper advanced estate 

planning and upon their death “Uncle Sam” 

could inherit the lions share of their wealth 

through income, capital gains, estate and/ 

or inheritance taxes. 

With advanced planning and minimal, if 

any, cost today the impact of taxes upon 

your death can be minimized by naming 

your alma mater in your estate. A planned 

gift to McDonell High School, the McDonell 

High School Foundation, or the McDonell 

Area Catholic Schools Endowment could 

provide that legacy in your name. Gifts to 

both the Foundation and Endowment will 

remain in perpetuity and use of earnings 

from these gifts can be directed by the 

Left to right: Alice (Globensky ‘50) Marshall, Jim 

Globensky ‘47 and Eunice (Globensky ‘45) Yeager 

have been working the main entrance of the craft 

show for many years. 


wishes of the 

donor. Gifts 

directly to the 

High School will 

not necessarily 

remain in 

perpetuity but will be used as directed by 

the donor. 

Leaving your legacy to McDonell can 

be as easy as naming one of the above 

organizations in your will today. Leaving a 

“bequest”, a specific gift of property, or a 

death benefit from a life insurance policy 

will benefit our mission at your time of 

death. 

Gifts of appreciated assets such as stocks 

and /or IRA’s can escape capital gains tax 

and/or income tax that beneficiaries may 

incur upon the transfer of assets. 

There are also vehicles such as Gift 

Annuities and Charitable Remainder Trusts 

that will provide you with a potential tax 

deduction today and at the same time 

provide a stream of income to you, the 

donor, for life with the remaining assets 

going to McDonell upon your death. 

As Advancement personnel, we are not 

experts in estate planning or taxation. We 

cannot advise you as to the best scenario for 

you but encourage you to contact your legal 

and financial advisors when considering a 

planned gift to McDonell High School. 

I welcome further discussion on how 

you might remember us in your estate 

planning and how we can fulfill your wishes 

in leaving a lasting legacy to our school. 

Please contact me at 715-723-0538 or 

at c.frenette@macs.k12.wi.us for further 

information and details. 

Chuck Frenette, Advancement Advisor 

Do you want to keep it going? 

For 28 years Julie Clark and the same alumni have 

found themselves at the annual alumni craft show 

helping in whatever way they can for the sake of their 

Alma Mater. Being a graduate of McDonell Memorial 

and McDonell Central and a member of the Alumni 

Association brings great pride to many alumni and 

they are proud to say they have that connection. 

The craft show committee wants to know if any 

interested alumni would like to help or be interested 

in taking on the craft show so the ones who have 

been doing it for 28 years can “take a break”. Proceeds 

benefit McDonell High School. 

Call Julie today!

McDonell Area 

Catholic Schools 

Advancement & Alumni Relations 

1316 Bel Air Blvd., Chippewa Falls, 

WI 54729 

McDonell Central Catholic High 

Notre Dame Middle 

Holy Ghost Elementary 

St. Charles Borromeo Primary 

Childcare, 3Pre, BB4C and 5’s 


In this issue: 

New Mission Statement . 1 

Fine Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Graduation 2012 . . . . . 7-10 

MACKS at state . . . . . . . . 9 

photo by: Cindy Ruf 

Senior Hayley Bresina returns to 

La Crosse for state track competition 

Class Notes . . . . . . . . . 14 - 15 

NEXT ISSUE: 

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT 

Joe ‘02 and Andrew ‘04 Werner 

Joe, 2012 Austria pro basketball 

player and his brother Andrew, 

playing Australia footy amateur 

league, gives their Alma Mater an 

update on new family members and 

what they are currently doing. 

Celebrating 130 years 

of Catholic education 

in Chippewa Falls. 

Nonprofit Org. 

U.S. Postage 

PAID 

Eau Claire, WI 

Permit #2000 

Mack 

Messenger 

QUALITY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL 

EDUCATION SINCE 1882 


News For McDonell Alumni, McDonell Area Catholic Schools Families, Friends and Supporters 

Summer 2012 

McDONELL BOOSTER CLUB PRESENTS…. 

“Spirit of the Macks” 

22nd ANNUAL SILENT 

LIVE AUCTION 

We have reached 

25 years as a unified 

school district! 

Saturday, October 6, 2012 

at 6:30 P.M. 

McDonell Central Catholic High School 

Commons & Gym 

It doesn’t seem possible that a full year has gone by much less 20 

plus years! We are once again working hard on preparing for the 

annual Silent/Live Auction. The McDonell Athletic Booster Club is 

asking for your help to make our 22nd year a huge success! First, 

we would love for you to attend the auction as it’s the perfect 

time to mingle with old and new friends while bidding on great 

merchandise. Second, maybe you would like to make a donation to 

the auction? It takes $65,000 dollars to run all the sports programs at 

McDonell, well worth the investment as evidenced by our successful 

2011/12 sports season. One third of that amount is raised through 

the Silent/Live Auction due to generous donations from individuals 

and businesses throughout the Chippewa Valley and beyond. If you 

are interested in donating to the auction on behalf of a business, a 

graduating class, a deceased loved one or yourself, please contact: 

Brian & Kara Heidtke 715.726.1721 (Home) email heidtke@charter.net or 

Todd & Debbie Schemenauer 715.288.6035 (Home) or 715.726.4614 

(Work) email tdschem@charter.net 

2013 Alumni 

Directory 

The McDonell Central Catholic High 

School Alumni Directory is in the process of 

being updated in celebration of 130 years. 

Every five years the Advancement 

and Alumni Relations Office publishes a 

directory to update the information of 

our alumni. We are working closely with a 

company called PCI Marketing out of Texas. 

All of our Alumni should have received a 

postcard and we encourage you to call 

the toll free phone number to update your 

information. 

This is all about discovering errors in our 

Alumni database and correcting to keep it 

as accurate as possible. The end results will 

be a directory in which Alumni will be able 

to communicate with each other, discover 

they may have a McDonell Alum living in 

the same city or right down the street. You 

will discover others have similar careers 

and find an old friend you haven’t talked 

with in years. 

Please call if you have any questions! 

Jenny Schafer, Director of Advancement 

715.723.0538 x3306

Celebrating 130 years with a bright future ahead - McDonell Area ...

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